A harsh 2026 ranking sparks debate. Oregon's Dante Moore faces scrutiny on speed and skillset as rival quarterbacks surge ahead.
Dante Moore would have been a likely Day 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if he chose to leave Oregon this offseason.
The only quarterback most NFL scouts preferred over Moore was Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who beat Moore and Oregon twice on the way to the Hoosiers’ first-ever national championship in January.
While it's unclear where Moore would have landed behind Mendoza, expected to land with the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 1, it's possible he would have been drafted in the top 10.
Moore chose to return to the Ducks with high hoes of leading the program to its first national title. The young quarterback also wants to expand his skillset before jumping to the NFL.
Moore was exposed in Indiana's 56-22 win over Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl. He needs to work on getting the ball out of his hands faster.
With Moore returning in 2026, Oregon should have one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
However, Danny Kanell recently ranked Moore as the No. 4 quarterback in college football behind Texas' Arch Manning, Ohio State's Julian Sayin, and Miami's Darian Mensah.
"I'm a big believer in what he's gonna do in Miami," Kanell said on the "Cover 3" podcast. "Dante Moore, number four, at Oregon. I think he needs to take a big step forward, but he was pretty good last season.”
Kanell explained the reason for his ranking.
“So, number one, Arch Manning, Arch Manning, Arch Manning," he said. "And I was somebody who was pretty critical of him last year, was not bought in, I am this year.
"Number two, Julian Sayin from Ohio State. I think people forget how perfect he was during the regular season, then wasn't great in the playoffs, but I still think he's got a bright future, he's got great talent around him.
"Darian Mensah at Miami. I think he's an upgrade from Carson Beck."
It'll be interesting to see if Moore has a better season than Manning. Those two players could be the top quarterbacks taken in the 2027 NFL Draft.